Bestselling author Pat Conroy acknowledges the books that have shaped him and celebrates the profound effect reading has had on his life. read full description
reviews
Feb 26, 2011
Susan
rated it: 
Mr. Conroy loves words. He loves their flow, their tumble and play. And he isn't afraid to use them. I learned this when I first start reading his fiction with its exultant, flowery phrases, with its parallels to his own life. This nonfiction book tells me why he writes as he does.
Although titled My Reading Life, this book is also about his writing life and his life in general. The fifteen chapters each address a different person or book or time that ultimately shaped who he is More...
Although titled My Reading Life, this book is also about his writing life and his life in general. The fifteen chapters each address a different person or book or time that ultimately shaped who he is More...
May 16, 2011
Kathy
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This book is the type of book that I love and hate simultaneously. I literally found myself hanging on every word (and they are such magical, illustrious ones)as I slowly turned the pages, fearing that I might miss yet another pithy, entertaining statement from Mr. Conroy. OK, so the only hate aspect of my relationship to this book is the arduous task of noting all I wanted to remember with post-it flags and highlighter marks, not to mention looking up a few words whose meaning I obsessively h
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Feb 17, 2011
Relyn
rated it: 
2/11/11
What can I say about this book? I've read one chapter and already laughed, grinned, and cried. This is a book for any book lover. My favorite things so far, "Though it was not a part of a lesson plan, it imparted a truth that left me spellbound. Great words, arranged with cunning and artistry, could change the perceived world for some readers." YES!! YES!!
His teacher was crying as he read Whitman's poem about Abraham Lincoln. I also have something I read to More...
What can I say about this book? I've read one chapter and already laughed, grinned, and cried. This is a book for any book lover. My favorite things so far, "Though it was not a part of a lesson plan, it imparted a truth that left me spellbound. Great words, arranged with cunning and artistry, could change the perceived world for some readers." YES!! YES!!
His teacher was crying as he read Whitman's poem about Abraham Lincoln. I also have something I read to More...
Jul 15, 2011
Joan
rated it: 
A fascinating group of anecdotes which touch at least tangentially on Conroy’s reading life. One of the best is his tribute to his remarkable English teacher Gene Norris who remained a lifelong mentor. Another is a genuflection to and assessment of Thomas Wolfe who was a seminal influence on Conroy’s writing. He makes a valid point on style in defense of Wolfe’s and his own tendency to overreach and express an excess of poetic passion—both men are word-infatuees—as opposed to the spare style of
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Dec 08, 2011
Sydney
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I love to read authors' autobiographical books, especially when they details the books that were influential in their lives. I can already tell that I am going to love this book for its rich depth in that detail. I find it interesting that the entire second chapter is about Gone with the Wind. What Pat says about it reminds me of my own journey with that book and movie (as well as my mom's journey). I think it is interesting that he devoted an entire chapter to it, as I have been afraid that
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Feb 12, 2011
Kip
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I had a two year period where I loved reading Conroy's emotional male novels, then I overdosed and haven't enjoyed him since. But, even if you're tired, now tire, of his writing or have always found him overwrought and overdone, there's no denying that he's led an amazing life and is a great lover of books. His enthusiasm for books, reading, and their relevance to living is infectious, the people he talks about are wonderful, and there are some great book recos and stories. Great book to dip
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Jan 25, 2012
Eric
rated it:
Warm.
This book is Pat Conroy's memoir of his life with books. He chronicles his love for reading inherited from his mother and nourished by his high school English teacher, Gene Norris. Chapters 1 & 2 are worth reading for any parent and teacher. Conroy charts different episodes of his life as a son, military brat, teacher, bookstore visitor, traveler, writer, etc. as well as the books that influenced him along the way. His father was a marine who used to abuse Conroy's mother and P More...
This book is Pat Conroy's memoir of his life with books. He chronicles his love for reading inherited from his mother and nourished by his high school English teacher, Gene Norris. Chapters 1 & 2 are worth reading for any parent and teacher. Conroy charts different episodes of his life as a son, military brat, teacher, bookstore visitor, traveler, writer, etc. as well as the books that influenced him along the way. His father was a marine who used to abuse Conroy's mother and P More...
Dec 04, 2011
Kathy
rated it:
Take a deep breath. This is a long sentence and probably the longest review I have written. If you love your mother, if you love to read to yourself and to your children and grandchildren, if you like anything else by Pat Conroy, and if you love goodreads because you can read what friends and strangers have thought about what you read and you can follow those people to see what else they have read that you might also enjoy, then you will love My Reading Life.
Here's a brief list of m More...
Here's a brief list of m More...
May 28, 2011
Jon
rated it: 
Conroy writes partly about the authors (Thomas Wolfe, e.g.) and books that inspired him, but he also writes extensively about his life experiences. I lost interest at times and found the book a smidge egotistical here and there, but I guess it's hard not to think highly of yourself when you've had the success he's had. Conroy says near the end that "Nothing is more difficult for a writer to overcome than a childhood of privilege, but this was never a concern of mine. To experience a love th
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Apr 21, 2011
Paul
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Pat Conroy's "My Reading Life" interweaves ruminations on authors and books that have deeply influenced him--"Gone With the Wind," Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Wolfe, and many others--and in the process also draws us into what they offer. Furthermore, he crafts splendid portraits of those around him who have, through books or by serving as the inspiration for characters in his own work, made him the writer that he is.
Nowhere does he more clearly touch thos More...
Nowhere does he more clearly touch thos More...
Mar 29, 2011
Judy99
rated it:
Pat Conroy is one of my favorite authors--I've read everything he's written and loved it all (except I wasn't wild about The Boo). His earlier books are mostly fiction in which he draws on his life experiences, but this one and The Pat Conroy Cookbook are accounts about different aspects of his own life--food and books, two things near and dear to my own heart. In this book, he writes about the books that influenced his life and the people who influenced him to read those books. His writing is
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Feb 15, 2011
Steven
rated it:
To say that I have long considered Pat Conroy a talented writer who wrote books for women and men who are in touch with their feminine side would be an understatement. In a world filled with great writers, I have never seen a need to read the works of authors who write for audiences other than my own; so, miraculous or not, I have never felt a need to read The Prince of Tides or The Great Santini. When I read books about fighter pilots, I want to see them shooting down their enemies instead of
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Feb 10, 2011
Tre
rated it:
What attracted me to this book was the desire to explore the inner working of how lifelong reading can affect a life, and in that respect this book delivers. That having been said, one does get the sensation that reading in Conroy's life is elevated quite literally to the role of a religious experience, with writers and authors as his guides and prophets. I felt that took it to an unhealthy extreme, but I did appreciate the author's openness and vulnerability in displaying it all out on the tabl
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Feb 04, 2011
James
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"Each day of my life begins with a poem that will unloose the avalanche of words inside me, that secret ore that, once published, will sit before me disguised as the earth's jewelry." (p 329)
I believe each reader has his own story about the books that have been important in his life. This book is Pat Conroy's story and as a writer of several successful novels and memoirs he has created a beautiful paean to those books that influenced his life and writing. And with the books More...
I believe each reader has his own story about the books that have been important in his life. This book is Pat Conroy's story and as a writer of several successful novels and memoirs he has created a beautiful paean to those books that influenced his life and writing. And with the books More...
Jan 17, 2011
Paul
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This past month I have been immersed in a wonderful visit with two of my favorite all time authors: Vasily Grossman and Pat Conroy. First Pat: My Reading Life allow the reader to crawl behind the veil and learn what makes Conroy, Conroy. I was blow away by the violence in his family. His dad smacks not only the kids but the mom too. Pat grew up hating his dad a Marine Corp fighter pilot. His mom's formal education stopped at HS, but her reading would surpass all but .1% of college graduates
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Jan 08, 2011
Nancy
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"Few things linger longer or become more indwelling than that feeling of both completion and emptiness when a great book ends." Pat Conroy voices the exact feelings I have had when reading the last page of a memorable, well-written book. Conroy's language is wonderful, and I actually copied several quotes from the book just so I could read them again and again. For example, "I gather stories the way a sunburned entomologist admires his well-ordered bottles of Costa Rican beetles."
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Dec 15, 2010
Matt
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In My Reading Life I discovered a lot of things about Pat Conroy that I did not know. He calls to some scenarios in his life and also books that shaped his prose and influenced the directions of some of his written works. He revealed why he never returned to teaching and how he discovered his own voice amongst his writing and recollections of his childhood. He speaks about why we should read. He fed us numerous examples of books that have changed his views of himself and his shy place in thi
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Nov 24, 2010
Laura
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I love books. I love the feel of them in my hands, the smell of the ink printed pages, and I love devouring all of those words on the pages. I also love to read books about books. I just finished My Reading Life by Pat Conroy, about ten minutes ago and I want to start at the first page of it again. I have to admit that I have never read one of Conroy's novels and now I know that I must. His language and writing make me want to read and read as much as I can take in and never stop. I love h
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Feb 27, 2011
Patty
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I know that one of the reasons I enjoyed this book was listening to Pat Conroy read this book. I am not always fond of author's reading their own works. Just because you can write does not mean that you can read out loud. However, I believe that Conroy had good training - his mother read to him.
This was an enjoyable book, I found parts laugh out loud funny and I learned lots about Conroy's life, why he reads and why he writes. Conroy and I have differing opinions about some of his More...
This was an enjoyable book, I found parts laugh out loud funny and I learned lots about Conroy's life, why he reads and why he writes. Conroy and I have differing opinions about some of his More...
Nov 13, 2010
Marialyce
rated it:
I have always enjoyed the books that Pat Conroy has written. While his characters and his prose can often be sardonic, I love the way he moves you with all the frailties and humanness of his subjects.
Mr. Conroy tells in this book, of his undying love for readng. He firmy holds to the belief that one needs to read to be educated and to be constantly in love with the world around you. His two particular favorites War and Peace and Gone With the Wind receive special treatments in the anna More...
Mr. Conroy tells in this book, of his undying love for readng. He firmy holds to the belief that one needs to read to be educated and to be constantly in love with the world around you. His two particular favorites War and Peace and Gone With the Wind receive special treatments in the anna More...
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Jun 07, 2011
Julie
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Pat Conroy has written many well-known books including "The Great Santini", "Prince of Tides", "The Water is Wide" and others. Because I don't delve into fiction much, I haven't read any of his other books. My first exposure to Mr. Conroy-- an impulse pick at the library-- is this book, "My Reading Life". I think I have a crush on the man now.
This book is at once a rich synopsis of great books, an analysis of how they spur the imagination, More...
This book is at once a rich synopsis of great books, an analysis of how they spur the imagination, More...
Nov 15, 2010
Sidna
rated it:
This is classic Pat for Conroy fans. As usual, he reveals a lot about himself and his family. When I told one of my friends that I was going to meet Pat Conroy and have him sign my book she asked if it was a list of books he has read. He names very few books in this book. Instead each of the 15 chapters is devoted to a person in his life, beginning with his mother, who encouraged him to read or to write.
I agree with him on many things: his love of story (he says, rightly so, that ma More...
I agree with him on many things: his love of story (he says, rightly so, that ma More...
Jan 24, 2012
Mickey
rated it:
The autobiographical is something that Conroy is a master of, though his strength doesn't lie in the realistic rendering of past events as much as his skill at blending what happened with a dramatic and overblown cast that borders on mythology. The people he writes about don't seem real to me (and I'm not complaining!) There's so much mystery and unexplored areas to each person (particularly his mother, whom he likens to Hera) that simultaneously feels absolutely real and absolutely mawkish at t
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Oct 25, 2010
thewanderingjew
rated it:
I thought this would be an interesting little read and I was not disappointed. I was lucky enough to secure a bound manuscript copy from the publisher.
Using a variety of books he has read, over his lifetime, Conroy lets us explore his life with him. We meet his very abusive father whom he learns to love; his mother, who feels second class because of her lack of education and therefore reads everything she can get her hands on, including his reading lists, who yearns for an education and i More...
Using a variety of books he has read, over his lifetime, Conroy lets us explore his life with him. We meet his very abusive father whom he learns to love; his mother, who feels second class because of her lack of education and therefore reads everything she can get her hands on, including his reading lists, who yearns for an education and i More...
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Dec 19, 2010
Joseph
rated it:
Have just read a few chapters, but the work is as expected. . . wonderful.
If you're a writer who takes his calling seriously, this is a book for you.
FINAL REVIEW:
In the beginning, all writer's work is derivative.As we mature in this most wonderful art of creating a fictional world as interesting and informative as the one we see around us,we develop our own style.This (hopefully) new and exciting way of viewing the world comes from a variety of sources.O More...
If you're a writer who takes his calling seriously, this is a book for you.
FINAL REVIEW:
In the beginning, all writer's work is derivative.As we mature in this most wonderful art of creating a fictional world as interesting and informative as the one we see around us,we develop our own style.This (hopefully) new and exciting way of viewing the world comes from a variety of sources.O More...
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Oct 12, 2011
Mike
rated it:
If you enjoy the books of Pat Conroy, you will enjoy this book. If you don't, you won't.
My first introduction to Pat Conroy was through the movie "Conrack," starring Jon Voight. I had never heard of Conroy, much less read him. However, the movie sent me in search of him. When I found the paperback movie tie-in, I was hooked.
From that time forward, I have read Conroy's books. I have met him, spoken with him, and seen him several times on the book circuit. His v More...
My first introduction to Pat Conroy was through the movie "Conrack," starring Jon Voight. I had never heard of Conroy, much less read him. However, the movie sent me in search of him. When I found the paperback movie tie-in, I was hooked.
From that time forward, I have read Conroy's books. I have met him, spoken with him, and seen him several times on the book circuit. His v More...
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Mar 28, 2011
Amelia
rated it:
Zabrina gave me this one--the chapter on Parisians had me rolling--in fact it was hard to keep a straight face during prayer because I had just set the book down for family prayer after reading this tidbit:
"Parisians relish the xenophobic sport of stereotyping and love to offer an infinite variety of theories on the nature of Americans. To them, we as a people are shallow, criminally naive, reactionary, decadent, over-the-hill, uncultured, uneducable, and friendly to a fault. More...
"Parisians relish the xenophobic sport of stereotyping and love to offer an infinite variety of theories on the nature of Americans. To them, we as a people are shallow, criminally naive, reactionary, decadent, over-the-hill, uncultured, uneducable, and friendly to a fault. More...
Apr 11, 2011
Candice
rated it:
I loved this book. The biggest thing I learned from this book is that I have a lot of reading to do! I'm thankful for an amazing writer's take on many different books, genres, including poetry and prose - what a great way to add to my list of "to reads." This book is non-fiction but you still get the great voice of Pat Conroy, which is always dreamy, pleasant. If you dabble in writing along with your reading, this book could serve as a great tool along your path.
Additio More...
Additio More...
Mar 30, 2011
Carol
rated it:
OK, why did I give this book a three? Because I didn’t have 1/2 and 3/4 stars to use. I loved all his other books. I did like this book but I don't feel that it is one of his best. I couldn't give it 4 stars (really liked it) because a lot of it I had read before in his other books.
One thing that I will admit, I kept comparing it to Stephen King's 'On Writing' which was at least 50% on reading. I came away from the book with a long list of books that I wanted to read.
I enjoyed his More...
One thing that I will admit, I kept comparing it to Stephen King's 'On Writing' which was at least 50% on reading. I came away from the book with a long list of books that I wanted to read.
I enjoyed his More...
Jan 03, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
Economy of style is not one of Pat Conroy's virtues as a novelist. Conroy affectionately describes his own writing as adjective-heavy and "overcaffeinated". But one of the pleasures of this book is that we now know why he writes that way: an influential English teacher introduced him to Thomas Wolfe before pressing Ernest Hemingway into his hands, and to the impressionable young man Conroy was then, that sequence mattered.
What Conroy has going for him is unfailing honesty, More...
What Conroy has going for him is unfailing honesty, More...
